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Inuksuit

Some musical events encourage a community to take stock of its surroundings, but very few fold so seamlessly into the environment itself that they become part of a community's memory and imagination. John Luther Adams' Inuksuit is one of those works. Scored for 9 to 99 percussion players who are meant to be widely dispersed in an outdoor area (although the piece has also been performed indoors), Inuksuit has been described by the New York Times as "the ultimate environmental piece," while the New Yorker's Alex Ross hailed it as "one of the most rapturous experiences of my listening life."

The title refers to the Stonehenge-like markers used by the Inuit and other native peoples to orient themselves in Arctic spaces. Adams structured the rhythmic layers in the score to mimic these stone shapes, but there's an open-endedness to how the music is performed that reflects the sense of freedom behind it.

"Each performance of Inuksuit is different," Adams explains, "determined by the size of the ensemble and the specific instruments used, by the topology and vegetation of the site -- even by the songs of the local birds. The musicians are dispersed throughout a large area, and the listeners are free to discover their own individual listening points, which actively shapes their experience."

Inuksuit has been performed numerous times, and in various spaces, since Adams first composed it in 2009. This recording, made in the forest surrounding Guilford Sound in Guilford, Vermont, and produced by percussionist and composer Doug Perkins, marks the first time that the piece is available on CD. Adams also sought to capture the experience of the performance in a surround mix, which unlike most commercially available 5.1 mixes, is full-range in every channel. "We wanted to make this feel as live as possible," Adams says. "When I originally composed Inuksuit, I wasn't prepared for the strong sense of community the piece seems to create. I'm glad to be able to give some of that back with this recording."

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Produced and edited by Doug PerkinsRecorded with 32 percussionists on June 12, 2012, in the forest surrounding Guilford Sound in Guilford, VT

Available as a two-disc CD/DVD package, with photographs by Norman Hallendy

Also features the bonus documentary film Strange and Sacred Noise, directed by Len Kamerling

Cantaloupe Music is the record label created and launched in March 2001 by the three founders of New York's legendary Bang on a Can organization—composers Michael Gordon, David Lang and Julia Wolfe—with Bang on a Can managing director Kenny Savelson. Cantaloupe Music has made a massive impact in the new music community, and has been recognized by critics and fans worldwide for its edgy and adventurous sounds.

Our goal is to provide a home for contemporary classical and post-classical music that is, in the words of Michael Gordon, “too funky for the academy.” Throughout its nearly 15-year history, Cantaloupe has repeatedly received Top Ten of the Year accolades from such publications as the New York Times, the New Yorker, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, The Guardian (UK), The Wire (UK), Newsday, Mojo magazine, Gramophone, Billboard, Stereophile and Time Out New York. Cantaloupe releases have also been featured on CNN, National Public Radio, the BBC, Pitchfork.tv and numerous outlets online, in print and over the airwaves.

Regarding Submissions

We welcome unsolicited submissions. However, though they will be listened to, we cannot guarantee a response, and no submissions will be returned. Please send CDs to the address above c/o Cantaloupe A&R. Please include information about performances (both past and upcoming).